The two teams leading our March Madness Gala … Florida and Arizona. The Gators and Wildcats both have the opportunity to enter the NCAA Tournament dance as the overall No. 1 seed. Should both win their remaining games – including conference tournament titles – the edge will likely to go Arizona. Not that it’s that critical this year because the two teams are geographically separated. Florida will lead the South Region; Arizona the West. A year ago, when Louisville and Indiana were battling for the top spot in the Midwest, and a route through Indianapolis, that top position meant more.

Wichita State begins Missouri Valley Tournament play today in St. Louis. The Shockers ended the regular season without a blemish. If they win three more under the Arch, expect WSU to be a No. 1 seed on Selection Sunday. Kansas continues to hold the final No. 1 slot. Four other teams are chasing the top line: Wisconsin, Michigan, Virginia, and Villanova. Recent struggles make it difficult for Syracuse to regain a No. 1 seed.

It’s going to be another busy week on the bubble. With so many teams tightly bunched around the cutline we’ll find out who plays their way in or out. Keep a close eye on conference tournaments in the Big East, Atlantic 10, SEC, Big Ten and Pac-12. In particular, those leagues have several teams with an uncertain prognosis.

Those same teams will be watching conference tournaments in the Missouri Valley and Horizon League, among others. If Wichita State were to lose, one less at-large berth will be available. And what if Green Bay reaches the Horizon final and loses a close game? Whether or not the Phoenix would earn an at-large bid is up for debate. But they will certainly be discussed inside the Selection Committee bunker.

Enjoy the Madness.

Teams in CAPS represent the projected AUTOMATIC bid based on current standings with RPI as a tiebreaker for teams with the same number of losses. Exceptions are made for teams that use an abbreviation (UCLA, BYU, etc).

Several new bracketing principles were introduced after last year’s tournament. You can read them for yourself at http://www.ncaa.com. For example: teams from the same conference may now meet before a Regional final, even if fewer than eight teams are selected. The goal is to keep as many teams as possible on their actual seed line.

FIRST FOUR PAIRINGS – Dayton (First Round)

Missouri vs. Dayton | Midwest Region

Pittsburgh vs. BYU | West Region

ALABAMA STATE vs. UTAH VALLEY | South Region

WEBER STATE vs. HIGH POINT | Midwest Region

BRACKET PROJECTION …

SOUTH – Memphis

WEST - Anaheim

Orlando

San Diego

1) FLORIDA

1) ARIZONA

16) UTAH VALLEY / ALABAMA ST

16) ROBERT MORRIS

8) Baylor

8) SMU

9) GONZAGA

9) Oklahoma State

Spokane

Orlando

5) Louisville

5) Oklahoma

12) LOUISIANA TECH

12) BYU / Pittsburgh

4) North Carolina

4) Michigan State

13) NORTH DAKOTA ST

13) BELMONT

San Antonio

Buffalo

6) NEW MEXICO

6) Ohio State

11) GREEN BAY

11) Stanford

3) Creighton

3) Syracuse

14) GEORGIA STATE

14) BOSTON UNIVERSITY

Milwaukee

Buffalo

7) SAINT LOUIS

7) Kansas State

10) Oregon

10) Saint Joseph’s

2) MICHIGAN

2) VILLANOVA

15) DAVIDSON

15) UC-IRVINE

EAST – New York

MIDWEST – Indianapolis

St. Louis

St. Louis

1) KANSAS

1) WICHITA STATE

16) FLA GULF COAST

16) WEBER ST / HIGH POINT

8) Memphis

8) Iowa

9) George Washington

9) Arizona State

Spokane

San Diego

5) UCLA

5) Texas

12) HARVARD

12) Missouri / Dayton

4) San Diego State

4) Duke

13) DELAWARE

13) TOLEDO

Raleigh

San Antonio

6) Kentucky

6) Connecticut

11) Georgetown

11) Xavier

3) CINCINNATI

3) Iowa State

14) S.F. AUSTIN

14) IONA

Raleigh

Milwaukee

7) Massachusetts

7) VCU

10) Colorado

10) Arkansas

2) VIRGINIA

2) Wisconsin

15) VERMONT

15) NC-CENTRAL

NOTES on the BRACKET: Florida remains the overall No. 1 seed followed by Arizona, Wichita State, and Kansas.